Crimson Night
by veronica.toon.7
Summary: Disturbed by the sound of footsteps and rocks being tread upon outside the den, she had woken up and decided to go down to investigate. A growl tore out of the night and in an instant, Sarabi found herself on her back, staring up into the red, glowing eyes of her attacker. "Mufasa. I'm coming now, my love," she thought before the darkness swept over her and she felt herself fade.
**This had been a theory of mine for quite awhile. When it comes to Zira and the other Outsider's exile, there are many theories. They refused to accept Simba after he 'killed' Scar or they murdered Kopa, or now-a-days Kion. Me, I think it's a little more canon then that.**

 **Warning: slight mentions of blood and death. Nothing graphic, but reader discretion is still advised.**

 **I own nothing. The Lion King/Guard and all its content belong to Disney. I don't own the cover image either.**

 **Enjoy the story!**

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It was the witching hour in the Pridelands. The sky was cloudy and a thick hazy fog had formed, lowering itself to the even beneath earth. The moon had vanished behind some dark, storm clouds, but no storm. The night was silent and still with everyone asleep under the veil of darkness.

Yet someone still was awake in the dead of night.

Disturbed by the sound of footsteps and rocks being tread upon outside the den, she had woken up and decided to go down to the base of the great stone kopje to investigate. Her paw pads lightly tapped down on the sandy, rocky ground as she descended down the steps and into the swishing evening grass. Her pupils dilated as they searched for anything standing out in the night. The mist made it harder to discern what was out there, but her other senses were beginning to prick as she felt that she was not alone.

Years as a leader of the hunting party had taught her a very important lesson, the second the prey made any sudden movements, so did the predator. Yet only now did she understand the wave of fear the herbivores felt as the were being stalked by her and her own kind. Her fur bristled on end and her muscles began to tense. Despite her age, she had been a seasoned huntress in her day, so she could probably support herself against what ever was out there, but for how long and who against was the fearful factor.

A growl tore out of the night. Her head flipped back in a fraction of a second, but was thrust forward again as a sleek, muscular form charged forward and clamped onto her backside. A pained snarl escaped her mouth as her legs buckled under the weight and claws dug deep into her shoulder blades and hips. Her old, frail bones nearly cracked under so much pressure and her paws skidded away, sending her and her assassin down to the ground.

As she attempted to get back up, a paw came out of nowhere and struck her face, sending her down and thrown away several feet away. She dizzly stared out where it had come from, gasping in awe and fear as several pairs of glowing red eyes stared back. To her further panicked shock, the original lioness had picked herself back up and charged forward for her again. In an instant, Sarabi found herself on her back, staring up into those red, glaring eyes all aglow just above her.

"This is for Scar," her attacker screamed and it was right then she realized who it was.

"Zir-," her voice broke off as a pair of jaws filled with dagger-like teeth suddenly clamped down on her throat and tightened close. Her eyes widened one last time as she felt her heart began to slow down with the lack of oxygen reaching her lungs and the puncture marks around her neck growing deeper by the second. A single tear dripped down from each eye, not of pain but of regret. Regret that her time like her mate too had been ripped away too soon. She had so much she was leaving behind, yet she realized now as numbness and exhaustion crept over her that she was heading towards something lost so long ago.

 _"Mufasa. I'm coming now, my love,"_ she thought before the darkness swept over her and she felt herself fade.

A minute passed before the jaws released. Sarabi's head fell limply to the ground. Ruby fluid flowed down from her neck and was soaked up by the rocky earth. A few drops of red dripped down from the lioness's maw as she stared down at the mother of her deceased mate's killer. A toothy smile came across her face at the corpse before her. Now those who had opposed Scar would now feel the anguish they felt when their scarred king had been executed.

A roar from just outside then den sounded. The attacker, along with those surrounding her turned their heads up towards the strong, majestic lion standing above them. Several gasps escaped their maws as they realized the attack had apparently woken up the king, along with several of the pride who had come out to investigate their king's calls. The lionesses darted into the night, running swiftly away tp conceal their identities. All except for the old queen's murderess. As the lion came down towards his mother. she slunk behind several rocks alongside Pride Rock, keeping close yet hidden to hear the reaction close by.

"Mother," the king called out, desperate nudging her limp form with his face. No response came from the oldest lioness of the pride, and the young king felt something sink inside of him as his world crashed down. He threw his head up, crying in anguish.

"Mother!"

Tears fell in rivers down is face as he wept openly, throwing himself down over her form ever growing colder by the moment. Cries of sorrow erupted from the other pride members over the lost of their dear friend, queen and pride sister. The king's mate came close to him and knelt her head over her form, crying hot tears into her fur. All of a sudden, the king's head threw up and his eyes sparkled with rage through the veil of tears.

"Who did this?! Who did this," she heard him cry out, becoming hysterical with each passing second. Her lips twitched before peeling back to reveal a pearly smirk.

And with that settled, she slunk away quietly and vanished into the darkness.

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The next day, the pride alongside the rest of the Prideland's inhabitants had lead a long memorial recession for Sarabi's funeral. She was to be buried at the base of Pride Rock, next to her deceased mate where he had been moved from the gorge which he had died in several years before. The creatures of the Pridelands had openly mourned and shed tears for their beloved previous ruler. Even the sky seemed to weep for her death as a drizzle had fallen just as the last bit of dirt had been swept over her body and the procession of animals came to deliver their last respects and perhaps a flower or more to place pon her grave.

Within the days that followed, the culprits behind the deadly deed had been discovered. A band of lionesses still loyal to the dark king Scar, followed by his mate and mother to his cub, Zira, were found and charged to be guilty when discovered that they had neither been at the funeral ceremony, nor in the den when the death had occurred. The blood that had poured from Sarabi's veins had been found still staining Zira's paw pads and underneath her claws.

As traditional law stated for unauthorized deaths or assassinations, the murders and any close associates were to be exiled permanently from the Pride lands. The same day they had been trialed and found guilty, the pride, along with the rest of the creatures in the Pridelands had chased Zira and the rest of Scar's followers to the Outlands, a desolate, termite-infested wasteland bordering the Pridelands. Along with the group was taken Nuka, Scar's only son, and two other cubs, unknown though in name and gender.

Once the small group of lionesses settled down, much to their loathsome disgust, in their new home the same day of their banishment, the head lioness found herself pacing on a rock outcrop that gave her a clear view to the Pridelands across the log bridge. The contrast between the Pridelands and her new home was heavily different. No plant foliage or animals aside from the termites and them inhabited the Outlands. Crocodiles infested the river between this and there, creating danger if any of them tried to pass through any other way aside from the heavily surveyed bridge back home.

From her view, she could faintly make out Pride Rock far, far away in the distance. A snarl escaped her throat as she thought odiously of the so-called 'fair' king that resided and ruled from there. Under Scar's reign, she had been not only his mate, but queen of the Pridelands. In her twisted state of mind, she believed that Scar had been pure and blameless, only under the stress and pressures of ruling a kingdom had he lashed out at her and everyone else. He had done no wrong, so when Simba had randomly come out of nowhere and destroyed him by throwing him into the flames, she vowed her revenge on him.

Killing the king's mother had been only a start. To weaken him emotionally and cause paranoia to spread through out his mind. It was only the first step in her plan tp take back what Scar had wanted to complete. Exiling them was a hinderance to their plans, as Simba now knew that they were a threat to him and his life, but they would make up for setbacks.

Her eyes narrowed one last time at the horizon and a snarl escaped her throat before she turned back and headed towards the makeshift den to nurse the cubs. One, the darl drown male she had fondly named Kovu, would play an important part in their plans once he grew and came of age to execute it. But for now, they would have to wait and prepare in the meanwhile.

 _"One day, Simba. One day."_

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 **Hope you enjoyed the story, sorry if it came off as too horrific for some of you though. I think this is a rather plausible theory for Zira and the rest of the Outsider's banishment, seeing how Sarabi was not present at all in the second movie and how they were not present in the first. Anyways, please leave a review with some feedback and feel free to check out some of my other stories. Sincerely, v.t.7**


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